House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) was rebuked for the third time on Wednesday for flaunting his influence as a top Republican leader.

A House ethics committee admonished DeLay for getting the Federal Aviation Administration to track down a plane thought to be carrying Democrats from Texas. At the time, Republican lawmakers were trying to force Democrats to return to the State Capitol to pass a redistricting plan engineering by DeLay.

The committee also criticized DeLay for suggesting that campaign donations would influence energy legislation pending in the House. DeLay participated in a golf tournament organized by an energy company that raised money for one of his political action committees.

DeLay has been criticized in the past for his strong-arm tactics. Two associates, Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and public relations consultant Michael Scanlon, are under investigation for bilking tribes of at least $66 million while trading on DeLay's power and influence.